Awry
by Deandra
Summary: Perfection came easily to Eldarion, but on the one occasion it means most to him, it proves annoyingly elusive. Fluffy little ONESHOT, but in 2 chapters. Part 98 of the Elfwine Chronicles.
1. Chapter 1

**_Part 98 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes._**

**_A/N: More progress, and we're only one story away from number 100. Looks like the next one may be about Theodwyn and Freawine, but real life interferes, so it goes slowly! This story is 2 chapters in length. Thanks to Tracey for her input; the story is all the better for it!_**

_**Looks like you lot are as swamped as I am, but since there have been 200 hits on Resolution, despite the low review level, I'll go ahead and post this. You can catch up when you have time!**_

**Awry**

_**(Mar, 25 IV)**_

**Chapter 1**

"You are not nervous, are you?" Eldarion asked, with some surprise. He had never known Luthiel to be anything other than cool and collected in any situation. It was one of the traits he most admired about her.

"A little," she reluctantly confessed, then turned to eye him defensively as she explained, "it is not every day a girl marries the Prince of Gondor, which will one day make her queen."

Her voice faltered and he dropped his gaze, smiling slightly in understanding. He had not expected Luthiel to be intimidated by anything, least of all anything to do with him. This was a new facet to her that he was seeing. Raising his eyes to fix her gaze with his own, he lithely stepped in close, his hands moving to grasp her shoulders.

"You will be a beautiful bride, my love – the perfect bride – setting the standard for all others. And, when the time comes, you will be a wonderful queen. I do not doubt it for a moment." He gave a deprecatory laugh, adding, "I have more concerns about _my_ suitability as king than yours as queen. All of Gondor may come to know me as the king who did only one thing right – married the best woman in the land, so she could rule beside him and save him from himself."

He pulled her into his embrace, feeling the weight and truth of his words, and she held him tightly. His observations had both touched and reassured her, something that she found rather surprising. She knew better than most what a good man Eldarion was, though it was sometimes concealed beneath his bravado, but he still was able to catch her unaware in moments like this. She doubted very much he was this open and sincere with many others. Despite his gregarious personality, in many ways Eldarion was a closed book when it came to himself, and she had the feeling she had only skimmed a few of his many pages.

Winding her arms around his neck, she pulled him to her in a kiss, then whispered, "Thank you, beloved. I will try to be the wife and queen you envision me to be. And I am certain that you will be an excellent king. My father has long spoken well of you, and he does not offer such praise lightly."

Her cheek settled against his chest, and they stood silently in each other's arms, content for this moment. Eldarion was not completely convinced, by her words, of his own capability to be an effective monarch, but he could not imagine he would fail with her at his side. Whatever good there was in him, she brought it out and made it better. Gondor had no idea how fortunate they were that she had accepted him, had loved him – indeed, had put in the effort to mold him into someone she would consider marrying.

xx

The couple was due to wed in less than a fortnight, and Eldarion had spared no effort in planning the perfect wedding. Naturally, as heir to the throne, the occasion would be special and require a high level of pomp and circumstance but, more than that, he wanted Luthiel to have the most magical wedding there had ever been. Gondor would make this whole ceremony all about him, but as far as he was concerned, it was all about her. She was not merely 'the girl who was wedding the Prince of Gondor', but rather she was the one woman who touched his heart and soul, who had seen beyond his bluster and liked the person she found hidden safely away from public view. She had weaned him, for the most part, of his obnoxious behavior and transformed him into a better man and a better future king. She deserved the place of honor at this fete.

It had all been arranged. Invitations were sent far and wide to honored guests, friends and, most importantly, family. The entire royal family of Rohan was expected to be in attendance, both because of their connection to Luthiel, but also to him. Because of the hand his sister, Dariel, and her husband, Elfwine, had had in helping the two of them get together in the first place, Eldarion was especially anticipating their arrival for the festivities. He owed Elfwine a tremendous debt for his friendship and guidance during his rather clumsy attempts at wooing Luthiel. The party from Rohan was due to arrive a couple of days before the wedding, and he welcomed the idea of a brother standing beside him through all this.

Though he got along well with Elboron, Luthiel's brother, perhaps because Elboron would one day be his steward, they did not have quite the closeness he shared with Elfwine. Somehow, he and Elfwine had bonded as brothers almost instantly, and that affection had only deepened over the years, despite how little they saw of one another. Luthiel had always been close to Dariel as well, considering her to be her closest friend, so she was eager to be reunited for this wondrous occasion.

Because of Luthiel's love for her home in Emyn Arnen, Eldarion had arranged for much evergreen to adorn the feast hall, as well as huge bouquets of flowers to be set everywhere. Indeed, he thought he must have bought out nearly every flower seller in the area, and he could not wait to see the hall once they brought their bounty to the city, and began to set it up the day before the wedding.

Luthiel had also developed quite a taste for seafood, having spent considerable time visiting the relatives in Dol Amroth, so a boat was to bring the freshest catch they could, up the Anduin the morning of the event. Certainly, they would supplement that with other meats, such as beef, chicken and pork, while the seafood would mostly be reserved for the immediate family, since it would be too difficult to prepare a large quantity at the last minute. Eldarion had been carefully keeping this detail secret from his betrothed. Much of the preparations she unavoidably knew about, but he wanted there to be at least a few surprises.

Unfortunately, there were a few surprises for Eldarion as well. The week of the wedding, reports began to arrive warning of unrest among several Haradrim factions. More and more soldiers were being deployed to patrol the border lands, and supplement the work of the Ithilien Rangers.

Elessar and Faramir became wrapped up in the tense situation, and though they tried to leave Eldarion free to focus on his upcoming wedding, he needed to stay apprised of the situation. It was more than a little aggravating to have to deal with this right now, and Eldarion was beginning to feel the stress of it, but tried to keep his perspective and good humor.

The Haradrim state of affairs proved to be the tip of the iceberg, however, as Eldarion's carefully laid plans slowly began to unravel, one by one. Heavy spring storms moved into the area, stronger than any they had felt in more than twenty years. Wind and rain continued unabated for most of the week, and reports sent from Rohan indicated they were feeling the effects in that land also. Already they had departed Edoras earlier than expected, but the muddy roads made slow going of it, and it was now somewhat in question if they would be able to reach Minas Tirith in time for the wedding itself.

The storms were having other unpleasant effects; rivers and streams were flooded, and there was so much debris in the water from fallen trees that the shipping lanes were being clogged. It was now in question whether the relatives from Dol Amroth could make the journey, and the possibility of seafood for the wedding supper was also looking remote.

The wedding was only three days away and it was all falling apart. Eldarion should have expected more bad news at that point, but he kept thinking there was nothing else to go wrong. He was mistaken. The flower merchants began to turn up, wearing mournful expressions and apologizing profusely that their crops of flowers had largely been wiped out or damaged by the storm, and it was now doubtful there would be much to salvage for bouquets.

As the third such merchant left him, Eldarion raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. How could this be happening? He had always seemed to live almost a charmed life. Was this the natural offset to so much fortune prior to this?

Feeling the need to release his growing aggravation, he headed for the indoor sparring arena that was used during inclement weather. Perhaps a little physical exercise would help. Once there, he found several young soldiers practicing with their swords, most of them newly admitted to the ranks of Gondor's army.

He easily found a sparring partner, and they stepped into position with sword and shield after Eldarion had taken a few moments to warm up. While the physical effort required helped bleed off some of his tension, his opponent was not sufficiently challenging to fully engage his mind, and his thoughts kept drifting back to his difficulties. Normally not one to lose focus during battle, this time he did so, with regrettable consequences.

The other soldier had lunged, and Eldarion sidestepped an instant too late, so the two crashed into one another. The other young man stumbled and, while struggling to keep his feet, threw up his shield arm, smacking Eldarion a glancing blow on the left side of his face, as his sword clipped Eldarion's hand. The prince fell back, dropping his weapons and clutching at his eye where the edge of the shield had impacted. He had been very fortunate that it hit him flat and the bone around his eye protected his sight from damage, but he had no doubt he was going to have a black eye.

The hand pressed against his face felt damp and he pulled it down to look, finding blood as he had feared. As if the eye weren't enough, there was a gash on the back of his hand that was also bleeding freely. Several others had rushed to assist the prince, and his opponent was begging Eldarion's forgiveness for his clumsiness. Eldarion waved off his words of contrition, assuring him it was an accident. Someone had provided a cloth, which he pressed to his bleeding hand, and hastily made his exit to the Houses of Healing.

Two hours later, he was back in his room and staring morosely into a looking glass, while Elboron sat sprawled in a nearby chair, eyeing him with barely disguised amusement.

"We could always tell my sister you made an untoward remark about her and I punched you," he offered, less than helpfully, a thoroughly innocent expression gracing his countenance.

Eldarion turned to glare at him. "I certainly hope that by the time you replace your father as steward you have learned to be of more help and support to your king!"

Elboron shrugged. "I will do my best. In the meantime, though, I am not steward and you are not king – and there is still the matter of a groom-to-be with a very blackened eye!"

"Thank you so very much for stating the obvious!" Eldarion spat at him, in very ill humor.

Elboron rose in an easy, cat-like movement and came to stand beside Eldarion, resting a hand on his shoulder. "It is not the end of the world, my friend. Luthiel will understand and, with her fondness for healing, she will likely be more concerned that it is properly treated than by how it mars your appearance."

Eldarion slumped visibly and leaned on his dressing table with his good hand. "It is not just the injuries; it is everything. Nothing is going right with this wedding. It is as if the Valar are against us uniting, and seek to prevent our alliance…"

"Eldarion, I do _not_ believe that, and neither do you. You have suffered some setbacks due to circumstances beyond your control. They are inconsequential to the most important thing – that the two of you love each other and wish to be married. Even without all your fine details, it will be a joyous occasion. Do not fret so. All will be well." He turned toward the door. "I must go get ready for supper. Do not stand scowling at your face any longer. Get dressed and come eat. All will be well; I am certain of it."

Elboron reached the dining chamber before Eldarion, and since no one seemed to have yet heard of the prince's mishap earlier, he chose not to enlighten them. They would discover it soon enough. A few moments later, Eldarion appeared in the doorway, and most everyone glanced in his direction to welcome him, but came to a stunned silence as they took in his face.

Luthiel was one of the last to turn and, as she did, their eyes seemed to automatically meet. Her smile froze and he winced in anticipation of her further reaction. Slowly she moved toward him, coming to a stop in front of him and reaching a cool hand up to lightly touch near the bruised eye. He flinched slightly, even at the gentleness of her contact, and she let her hand slide lower to his cheek. "Are you well?" she questioned with concern. "What happened?"

He let out a relieved breath, and dropped his gaze. "A sparring accident. It is not so bad as it looks." His eyes came up to hers again, and he said fervently, "I am sorry, my love. I should not have—"

She interrupted him by reaching up to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I am glad it is not something worse. Have the healers treated you?"

He nodded sheepishly as she took his arm to guide him toward the table. Only then did she notice the bandage on his hand, and raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "A slight gash – nothing serious," he quickly assured her, blushing. They settled in chairs, and the rest of the family joined them in being seated. Supper soon drew their attention, but there continued to be glances at Eldarion.

Throughout the meal, Eldarion remained emotionally distant from the proceedings, and did little more than pick at his food. Though it was awkward, he had stubbornly refused any assistance in cutting his meat or eating, but that difficulty was not what was affecting his appetite. Despite Luthiel's reaction and Elboron's assurances earlier, all of this still troubled him. Not long after the meal ended, he politely withdrew, claiming fatigue, and the gathering watched him depart.

The steward's family only stayed a short while longer before excusing themselves also. Before she could leave, however, the queen asked Luthiel to remain for a moment and speak with her in private. Goodnights were said to the others, and then Arwen led the way to the library for their conversation.

The queen serenely stood by the fireplace, gazing into the flames for a moment, then said quietly, "There are those who put much stock in 'luck', but I am not among them. I am a great believer in making one's own luck. Therefore, it will not surprise you much, I think, that I do not hold with the notion that it is 'bad luck' for a bride and groom to see one another before their wedding." She turned to eye Luthiel pointedly. "In fact, I believe there are instances when such a meeting might be essential to future 'luck'."

Luthiel's brow furrowed at her comments; it was evident the queen thought she needed to see Eldarion. "Is there…something I should know?" she asked, a bit fearfully.

"Nothing dreadful," Arwen gently assured her, "only that my brash son is feeling a bit beleaguered of late, and is perhaps in need of a special someone's tender touch." With an enigmatic smile for the girl standing before her, the Elf-woman glided toward the door, adding over her shoulder, "I have found he often retreats upon the Tower when he is troubled."

Luthiel remained pondering her words for several moments after she was gone. For the past week, she and Eldarion had not been allowed to spend time alone together. Only group gatherings, such as tonight's supper, permitted them any time in one another's company. Taking a deep breath, she turned toward the door. She had never much held with the notion of luck either and, if Eldarion needed her, she did not intend to let superstitions interfere.

She had only been up on the Tower two or three times in her life, but it was not difficult to find her way. There were strategically placed lamps, that were kept lit from dusk until midnight, though admittedly the great Tower had a rather eerie feeling to it in the darkness of night when she was alone.

"Eldarion?" she called, her eyes probing the blackness in an attempt to locate him, as she stepped through the stone doorway from the stairs. The torches here flickered in the wind, and the moon, though nearly full, was largely hidden behind the storm clouds. There was no response to her call, but a movement to her right drew her focus there, and at last her eyes adjusted enough to make out Eldarion's form, slumped dejectedly against the chest-high wall around the perimeter of the tower.

Quietly, she moved over to join him, leaning on the wall next to him. Though he did not speak, she could feel the tension in him, even without their touching; his mother was right – something was definitely wrong.

With a soft sigh, she turned to face him, and reached a hand over to his cheek bringing his face around toward her, though he kept his eyes lowered and did not meet her gaze. "What troubles you?" she asked gently.

After several moments, he pulled away from her to stare back out over the Pelennor below them. Letting out a ragged breath, he murmured mournfully, "I wanted everything to be perfect for you, but it has all gone amiss. The harder I try to make it special, the more it all falls apart. I am sorry, my love. I have failed you."

Luthiel's thoughts raced as she tried to discern what he was talking about, in order to form a response. Then a flash of insight struck her, and she asked, "Do you mean the wedding plans?"

He nodded disconsolately, then railed, "The weather keeps our guests away and has ruined the flowers, after nearly thirty years of relative peace the Haradrim choose now to stir up trouble, and your betrothed looks as though he has been in a tavern brawl! What more can go wrong? We _do_ still have a few hours yet for further mayhem to manifest itself!"

_Ah, so that was it! Eldarion, who always did everything perfectly, was frustrated by his failure to accomplish perfection now._ She could not help finding it all slightly amusing, but clearly he had taken the situation to heart and was quite tormented by all that had gone wrong.

"Eldarion," she told him tenderly, "look at me." She waited, and finally he did as she bid, turning to face her though he didn't meet her gaze. Reaching out a hand, she lifted his chin, forcing his eyes to follow, until they were looking into one another's eyes. "I do not need guests or flowers to make my wedding day perfect, and the Haradrim would do well not to try and come between me and my betrothed! I am the daughter of a shieldmaiden; I will take them on personally if they attempt to deprive me of you!" Her words elicited a laugh that he could not quite stifle. "And, as to your appearance, my love, I have seen you bruised and bloody before, though usually it was my doing that caused it. I doubt this will be the last time I will see you thus." She leaned closer and brought her lips within a hair's breadth of his to whisper, "Just think of all the pleasure that can be had as I nurse you back to health!"

With a groan, he pulled her against him and hungrily kissed her. When they paused to catch their breath, Eldarion could only hold her in silence. No words would ever express what he was feeling. He could only hope she understood without his speaking of it. As if in confirmation, she tilted her head to look up at him in the brief shaft of moonlight that had revealed itself. Her eyes spoke volumes to him, and he reclaimed her lips in appreciation of what he read there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Awry**

**Chapter 2**

Luthiel came slowly awake, noticing the rain was still pattering at her window unabated. She let out a sigh. She and Eldarion had not stayed long on the Tower, as the wind grew too chill in the damp air. They had retreated to a room lower in the Tower that was more sheltered from the elements, and had talked long into the night.

Eldarion had not said as much, but she very much suspected that this would all be easier for him to cope with if Elfwine were here to stand steadily alongside him. Elfwine had always been able to calm and reassure his friend in a way that no one else could, and he was missing that just now.

Certainly Luthiel could not fault him desiring that. She, too, was anxious to have Dariel arrive. Her friend had gone through all of this before her and would help settle her nerves. She would one day be queen also, and she would know how to help Luthiel come to terms with that idea. But, more than that, she understood the situation, and Luthiel, as none other did. Her mother and queen Arwen had done the best they could, but they were not in precisely the position she found herself. Somehow she thought only Dariel could truly understand. She very much hoped the rain would not prevent her arriving in time for the wedding.

With another sigh, she rose and began to dress. This was the final day of preparation – and waiting. Tomorrow afternoon she would stand beside Eldarion and become his wife. Were the weather not so miserable, likely she would have gone for a long ride to occupy her mind for awhile. But she did not want to risk taking a chill, so she was forced to resort to reading as an occupation, which did not entirely serve its purpose.

By late afternoon, she felt as though she could have climbed the walls. There were last minute dress fittings, and various people came to visit and wish her well, but none of it truly held her attention, and she felt the trepidation gnawing at her insides constantly.

She dressed early for the pre-wedding family supper, then wandered to the room of her soon-to-be sisters, Tuilwen and Belinzel. The twins were still in a state of undress, and apparently not very concerned about hurrying along. They flitted about the room, chatting breezily with Luthiel as they prepared for the meal. If they noticed the uncharacteristically quiet demeanor of their brother's betrothed, they did not comment on it.

Tuilwen stood in front of her looking glass, holding various ribbons up next to her hair and dress, trying to choose which would look best. Casually, she said, "I suppose Eldarion has never told you about the first council meeting he attended with Father."

Belinzil's eyes sparked at the comment, knowing where this was leading, and she added, "He was but fourteen months of age at the time, though Father was eager to show off his son and heir to the council members, as well as get a bit of time with him."

Tuilwen picked up the story again, and the two began the intricate dance they did in talking back and forth between them, as if they were a single person speaking, their words blending seamlessly together. "Naturally, it did not take long for Eldarion to begin fidgeting at being held…"

"So Father set him on the floor by the window with a few toys…"

"But Eldarion soon lost interest in playing – _and_ in wearing his diaper…"

"He _despised_ wearing them, and had become very adept at slithering out of them…"

"So when he sought Father's attention, he stood there quite naked!"

"Father was most embarrassed, but could not help thinking it amusing…"

"He lifted Eldarion onto his lap to cuddle him a moment, before having someone take the child to his mother…"

"In the blink of an eye, Eldarion began to spout – he wet _all_ over Father!"

"The council just sat staring aghast at this disruption, and this _heinous_ behavior of Gondor's heir – to show such blatant disrespect for the king…"

"But Father began to chuckle, and soon was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes!"

"The council had to take a break while Father went to change clothing, and have Eldarion attended…"

"Needless to say, it was a very long time before Eldarion was allowed at another council meeting!" Belinzel finished triumphantly, as both girls turned to watch Luthiel's reaction.

Her earlier trepidation was momentarily forgotten. All Luthiel could do was focus on the mental image she had formed of this scenario as they described it. A snicker escaped her, then a chuckle. An instant later, she was doubled over with laughter and wiping at her eyes. Tuilwen and Belinzel had quickly joined her, quite aware of the change their story had wrought in Luthiel's frame of mind.

The good humor lasted her the entire night, and by the time Luthiel retired to her bed, she was very grateful for what the twins had done to distract her. Now if she could only get through tomorrow morning…

xx

They had been traveling for an hour, when Elfwine rode up alongside the carriage. Through the window, he told the ladies, "I do not know if we will make it in time at this rate." His eyes met Dariel's and they did not have to speak of what they both knew – that they would be as disappointed as Eldarion and Luthiel were they to miss the wedding.

Lothiriel eyed the two of them, then suggested, "What if Dariel joins you on horseback and you ride on ahead? I can keep Arawine with me. At least then the two of you would be there, whether the rest of us arrived in time or not."

"I could not burden you with Arawine," Dariel protested, though she was sorely tempted with this offer.

"Nonsense," Lothiriel chided. "I can manage the twins just fine, and I have Miren here to help. He will not even notice you are gone. Do not miss this, dearest. I know how much you wish to be there, and you both should be. It is important to them as well as to you."

Dariel glanced at her husband who gave her an encouraging nod. As it happened, she was wearing her riding outfit already, as were Lothiriel and Miren. The shorter skirt worked better wading through mud than their usual dresses, and being a split skirt it was considerably warmer than a dress in the chill weather. Elfwine recognized the look of acquiescence on her face, and said, "I will have Hobbit saddled for you and return in a moment."

The carriage came to a halt while preparations were taking place. As they waited, a thought occurred to Dariel, "I will not be able to take my dress…"

"It is not so important as getting you there. I am sure Luthiel can find something for you to wear, and we will be along with your clothes soon."

Elfwine had returned, so Dariel turned to her son and said, "Sweetest, you behave for Grandmother. I will see you in a little while." She kissed his cheek but he did not look up from playing with Theodred, and Dariel grinned in amusement. Softly she murmured, "Try not to miss me _too_ much!"

Lothiriel chuckled at her comment, then helped her get positioned in the door so she could mount without stepping down into the mud. As soon as she was in the saddle, the queen passed her cloak to her and she was quickly enveloped in it, protected as much as possible from the still falling rain. It had been decided for them to ride on ahead with just the King's Escort in attendance. The main party was accompanied by one of Elfhelm's eoreds from Aldburg, as King Elessar had requested Eomer bring an eored along in case they were needed in dealing with the Haradrim.

And then the two were away, riding as swiftly as Dariel could manage. They stopped to rest several times in the shelter of trees, since Dariel did not have the stamina on horseback that the others did. Still, they were making progress and, just before noon, they spotted Minas Tirith, another hour's ride away. They hastily ate a quick bite, remaining mounted, and then were underway once more.

They rode straight to the seventh level, where Kialmar took their horses for them as they hurried inside to dry off. Luthiel and Eldarion were waiting anxiously in the foyer, having been alerted to their arrival. "You made it!" Luthiel exclaimed, rushing into Dariel's arms, and hugging her friend tightly.

Elfwine and Eldarion embraced as well, while Elfwine explained, "The rest are still on the road and will be here as soon as they can manage. We feared it would not be in time, so we rode on ahead. We did not want to miss being here with you."

"Thank you," Eldarion told them sincerely. "That means a great deal to us. Though we do hope your family arrives in time also."

The visitors were hustled off to their room, where dry clothing was provided for them. Once they were changed, each ventured off to have time with their respective friend before the wedding, and Luthiel and Dariel spent it sprawled on Luthiel's bed talking about everything.

At length, Luthiel let out a relieved sigh. "I am so pleased you were able to make it! I do not know how I would have survived this without you!"

Dariel smiled in amusement. "You would have managed – I am sure of it. You love him, and you would not have let anything, including your own nerves, interfere with your being joined to him."

Luthiel shifted position to rest her head against Dariel's as they lay side by side. "Still, I am glad you are here. I feel much calmer now. I think I shall enjoy my wedding much more than I would have without you." They lay there in silence for several minutes and then Luthiel observed, "You are the only one I know who has been in this position. Mother has told me something of the adjustment she had to make, in marrying Father and becoming the wife of the steward, and Princess of Ithilien. Though she had served her uncle in the court of Rohan, it was not quite the same as taking up such a responsible position in Gondor. Still, it does not entirely reflect my own situation…"

Dariel considered her comments, then answered, "We are somewhat unique, you and I. My mother, and mother-in-law, married men who were already king. They were immediately thrust into that position of responsibility you speak of, but we wed only knowing that someday it will come to us. Mother had an Elf's lifetime of experience to draw upon, and queen Lothiriel was raised in a royal court, the daughter of a Prince and ruling beside her brother in their father's absence during the War. Each in their own way was prepared for the role they were to fill when they married."

She rolled onto her side to look at Luthiel and continued, "We do not have that. We have lived in the household of those who rule, and certainly learned something from that experience, but it is not really of much practical use for us on our wedding day. If there is anything I would tell you, it is this: forget about being queen someday. That will happen no matter what you do or do not do. Your task now is simply to love your husband, and come to know him even better than he knows himself, so that when he is king and you stand at his side, you will know how to strengthen him, guide him, protect him, encourage him and, most of all, be his refuge from the rigors of his office. I have discovered that queen Lothiriel is most generous in teaching me her tricks for supporting her husband, and easing his burden, and I am sure my mother will be the same with you. Watch her closely and you will see things you never imagined, things you never took the time to notice before."

Luthiel pondered this and then nodded, feeling much more at peace than she had earlier. Things did not seem nearly so overwhelming now that Dariel had helped her gain perspective. With a grin, she asked teasingly, "Do you truly think a wild child of Ithilien will survive in the courts of Gondor?"

Dariel laughed. "Only if she wishes to! Remember, an Elf from the woods of Rivendell and a wild shieldmaiden of Rohan have done so before you. You will do it if you make up your mind to succeed."

Luthiel leaned and pressed a kiss to her cheek, then settled back alongside her friend to stare up at the ceiling. "Thank you," she whispered.

Meanwhile, Elfwine was in Eldarion's room listening to the litany of woes that had befallen him in the past week, and commiserating with him about it all. When he finished, Eldarion eyed his friend and said fervently, "I am glad you are here, Elfwine. I am not sure I could manage this without you. I envy you your calm. Even on your own wedding day you showed no sign of nerves."

Elfwine chuckled. "That is not so! I was nervous, but I hid it well. Still, I knew I loved her, and wanted her for my wife. That thought made it possible to endure everything else. Perhaps that is your problem. You are worrying too much about the details and not enough about what is most important – Luthiel. So long as she shows up, stands at your side and accepts you as her husband, nothing else truly matters."

Blinking in surprise, Eldarion frowned. He had thought that his efforts were _part_ of being solely focused on Luthiel, but now that Elfwine put it that way, they all seemed superfluous. Maybe it really was as simple as Elfwine said; concentrate on Luthiel and not worry about the rest of it. With her at his side, he could weather anything. Slowly a grin spread over his face as he reached that conclusion, and he gave Elfwine a slight nod of gratitude. His friend did not need more to be said to understand that Eldarion had taken his meaning quite clearly.

Soon enough, their attendants appeared to help get the bride and groom ready. Arwen and Eowyn knew better than to allow the entourage to buzz around Luthiel right up until the ceremony, so they arrived a half hour before and shooed everyone out of the room except Dariel, and the three of them put the finishing touches on Luthiel's preparations. Luthiel felt as though her head had been under water, and only once everyone left could she breathe again. The mothers and her best friend soon had her laughing, and any worries she might be feeling could not surface in the face of their good cheer and camaraderie.

And then Faramir was at the door, advising that it was time. The party from Rohan still had not come, but since they could not be certain they would, it had been decided to proceed on schedule. Taking her father's arm, Luthiel let him lead her to the main hall where the guests and her betrothed awaited.

Elfwine was facing the back of the hall when Luthiel appeared in the door. His eyes flicked to Eldarion and he asked quietly, "Are you nervous?"

Eldarion cleared his throat with some effort and shrugged. "A bit."

"Do you love her?" Elfwine asked.

"With all my heart," Eldarion answered without hesitation.

A slow grin spread over Elfwine's face and he gestured toward the rear of the hall. "Then look at your bride and forget about everything else."

Eldarion wheeled around and stopped just short of gasping at the sight of Luthiel. In that moment, the guests who hadn't made it because of the weather, the skimpy arrangements of evergreen and worse-for-the-wear bouquets of flowers, and his own miserable appearance with black eye and bandaged hand all faded into oblivion. No, they did not truly matter. Only this exquisite creature walking toward him, and beaming at him with adoration, was of any consequence. Yes, a perfect wedding in a perfect setting would have been nice, but Luthiel gazing at him with such love in her eyes made everything perfect anyway.

Eldarion did not take in much of the ceremony, though Elfwine nudged him as needed to get him to give the appropriate responses.

Luthiel felt as though she was watching herself from a distance, and was relieved to see how confident and poised she appeared as she stood before the king of Gondor, taking her vows to lord and land.

Just before the final pronouncement and seal of approval by the king, there was a pause. As it lengthened into several minutes, Luthiel tore her eyes from Eldarion's to glance at the king, and Eldarion's gaze likewise questioningly shifted to his father. Elessar grinned knowingly at the two of them and nodded toward the back of the hall. Only then did they notice something of a disturbance, and turned to find a very wet and bedraggled group of travelers, from both Rohan and Dol Amroth, filing in and settling in seats in the back row. Once they were in, and the doors closed, Elessar completed the ceremony and presented the new princess to her family, friends and people.

Then the celebration began in earnest. Food and drink flowed plentifully, and all was a blur of music, dancing and well-wishing. At one point, the 'twins' from Rohan got into a tussle, wrestling about on the floor until they upset a table. That was when the respective mothers decided it was time for the two to find their beds and call it a day.

As he stood watching the petulant two-year-olds being escorted from the hall, his arm around his wife, Eldarion smiled and then broke into a laugh. Who needed perfection? All one needed was love and then everything was perfection, no matter the mishaps. He glanced down just as Luthiel looked up at him, and Eldarion took the opportunity to claim a quick kiss. Perhaps his plans had gone awry, but the most important detail of all had stood firm – Luthiel was now his forever.

THE END

9/6/06 – 9/9/06

_Tuilwen & Belinzil, the younger twin sisters of Eldarion and Dariel - they are 15 in 25 IV_

_Eldarion & Luthiel married Mar, 25 IV – Eldarion is 25, Luthiel is 20_

_Eomer 54, Lothiriel 46, Elfwine 24, Theodwyn 17 (not yet in love with Freawine), Theomund 15, Morwen 11, Theodred 2, Arawine 2_

_Miren became Lothiriel's nurse to the children in 23 IV when Theodred was born, since Morwen was 9 by then and Daelwyn had retired. In 25 IV, Miren's kids are 9, 17 and 20 (the eldest is male, the others are female). The two eldest run their home and care for their little sister while Miren goes to M.T. with Lothiriel and Theodred. Kialmar, Miren's husband, is head of the King's Escort and is also on the trip, so the children are home alone, though their Aunt Lissa checks on them._

_Eothain is Captain of the King's Guard and remains at Edoras to protect the city._

_**End note: It is not essential that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written, but there is an advantage to doing so. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.**_


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